220 



I assume that you are saying that if H.R. 10420, as amended as you 

 have sug<?ested, that the Department of Commerce would support the 



bill? 



Mr. Pollock. Very much in support of the bill. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Mr. Pelly ? ,. • 



Mr. Potter. Mr. Chairman, we have had some extensive information 

 supplied to us by the Department of Commerce on its marine mam- 

 mal program, primarily with regard to fur seals. If you think it de- 

 sirable, this might be an appropriate place in the record for this in- 

 formation to appear. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Without objection, it is so ordered. 



(The correspondence follows:) 



^ ^ August 4, 1971. 



Hon. Maurice H. Stans, 

 Department of Commerce, 

 Washington, D.C. 



Deak Mr. Secretary : As you probably are aware, a number of bills presently 

 pending before our Committee would impose a partial or total ban upon the kill- 

 ing of ocean mammals. I anticipate opening hearings on this question early in 

 September, and in this connection there are a number of inquiries which should 

 be resolved before these hearings begin. Your assistance will be appreciated. 



1. What legal tools does your Department presently have which permit the 

 imposition of effective controls over the taking of ocean mammals? 



2. Would any additional authorities be of assistance to you, and if so, would you 

 recommend their enactment? Please specify. 



The major areas of controversy appear to center around the Pribilof fur seal 

 herd. With respect to the seal population that returns to the island under 

 American control. 



3. What do you believe to be the natural size of that herd? Upon what au- 

 thority? 



4. What do you believe to be the optimum size of that herd? Upon what au- 

 thority? 



5. What is the present size of that herd, and how is this estimated? 



6. If you know, please furnish information describing : 



(a) The member of seals taken for each of the last ten years. 

 ( h ) The age and sex of such animals. 



(c) When and under what circumstances females have been taken. Were 

 these pregnant or nursing? 



(d) The size of the herd for these ten years. 



(e) How many pups have been born for these years. 



7. Is it your belief that the present population could not grow further without 

 damage to the breeding stock through overi>opulation? 



8. Please supply copies of the Interior 1966 Task Force recommendations 

 with respect to the Pribilof herd. Have these recommendations all been adopted? 

 If not, why not? 



9. How many Alauts are presently employed in the harvest of seals on St. 

 Paul? What sums have been paid to them for their work over the past ten 

 years? What percentage of their total income is this? 



10. What is the dollar value of the skins given to Japan and Canada under 

 the treaty for each of the last ten years? 



11. If you know, how many seals were killed by pelagic hunting for each 

 of the past ten years? 



12. What is the justification for continuing to drive the seals inland for 

 the killing? 



13. What is believed to have been the size of this herd before commercial 

 operations began? What has been the low point of the seal population? 



14. Of the current population, what is believed to be the number of (a) harem 

 bulls, (b) bachelor males, (c) females of breeding age. and (d) pups (seals up 

 to three years old) ? 



15. What guidelines have been set, if any, for the killing of females? 



16. What do you l)elieve to be the maximum .sustainal)le yield of this herd? 

 What is the optimum sustainable yield? 



17. What figures do you have to indicate any attrition to the herd by reason 

 of starvation or malnutrition? 



